Traveling solo – how to make your holiday an absolute highlight

Only a few years ago, you would have been ridiculed had you decided to travel solo looking for an adventure!

More and more are opting for a holiday alone

These days, particularly young people are using the opportunity to travel the world after finishing their studies or school. You get to know yourself and the world, returning with irreplaceable experiences.

Even couples consciously decide to spend holidays apart, when their preferences are just too different.

There are many reasons why people decide to travel solo. Nonetheless, you should not take it lightly and pay attention to a few things in order not to be overwhelmed on your first journey.

The right destination makes the difference

Spending your first holiday alone in completely different surroundings for several weeks can be a real challenge. Depending on the type of holiday, you might want to consider starting smaller and “closer”.

European cities, for instance, are ideal destinations for this. Not only are you able to easily get there by plane, there are also plenty of opportunities for sightseeing. The proximity facilitates spending only a few days. This will give you a good idea of what it’s like to travel by yourself. You’ll get to know yourself better and can better assess whether traveling solo for a longer period of time really is for you. If you have previously relied on other people or just gone with the flow, your own initiative is really needed now.

Accommodation plays an important role for solo travelers

Rule number 1 for solo travelers is finding the right accommodation! Of course, it’s relatively easy and comfortable to check in to a hotel, but making new friends is far more difficult – and is this not one of the many reasons to travel solo?

For example, if you decide to go to a hostel, you’ll meet many like-minded people and it’s only a matter of time before you get into conversation with them. On booking.com or Hostelworld you will find many different and even crazy hostels worldwide. Another way of accommodation and getting into direct contact with locals is Couchsurfing.

Making new friends

Of course, when you travel, there are many things you want to do. For example, many hostels offer different activities that can help get to know some of the other guests. Whether cooking classes, surfing lessons or a joint scooter tour, this is a wonderful opportunity to quickly make new friends. If you prefer sightseeing by yourself, there is always a chance to meet other hostel guests in the evening in the common room with a bottle of beer.

Again, you should not plan too many activities in advance. You are much more independent and can spontaneously join other groups, if you don’t have too many set plans. These are the best conditions to discover beautiful, exotic places you hadn’t heard of before – and is this not part of a real adventure?

Language doesn’t have to be a barrier

When travelling solo for the first time, you will be confronted with many new experiences. If you don’t want to make it even more complicated, you should travel to a country where you can communicate well. Otherwise, when you do need help, you are dependent on strangers and this can of course be quite difficult if you can’t talk to each other.

Yet, if you are the adventurous type, the language barrier does not necessarily have to be an obstacle. Particularly in rural regions, where many locals don’t speak any English, it can be rather fun to try and converse and get to know the people. This will certainly increase the levels of excitement and adventure.

All in all, when traveling alone, what matters most is to:

„Just let go!“

In our hectic everyday life, many of us have completely lost the ability to just let go and be spontaneous. We rush from appointment to appointment and even after work there is hardly any time to take a breath. That’s exactly why you should remember that on vacation there is no stressful to-do list you have to work through. Here you have the opportunity to experience spontaneous adventures and do what YOU want to do.

You can contemplate life, eat when you are hungry, not set an alarm and go to sleep when your eyes are falling shut. This way, you have the chance to get to know yourself from a completely new side as you only have to take care of your own needs. When travelling with a partner or friends, there are always situations when you have to back down or adapt to the situation. When travelling solo, you’re free to do as you please!

If you want to experience this freedom and independence, you should pack a bag, get into the next plane and get to know the world and yourself. Wait and see – it will be worth it!